Currently, when a customer receives an invoice from a company, a check is usually written for the invoice and then sent in the mail with the payment stub or invoice. Often, these payments go to a post office box number. These post office box numbers are often located at a bank and are commonly known as “lock boxes.” Bank personnel receive the payments, deposit the checks into the company's account, and forward the invoices to the company for reconciliation purposes. The check is then routed through the Federal Reserve Bank system to the bank of the customer. This whole process can take up to a week or more before the customer's account at the company is credited. Such a long processing time can cause the customer to be charged with late fees and/or interest on the unpaid amount. Also, the long processing time may adversely affect the company, as it is dependent on the mail to receive payments to its account. Also, the company has to deal with angry customers who demand that late charges and interest fees be reversed.
Some banks provide invoice payment services for customers who travel frequently. The bills are forwarded directly to the bank, and an employee of the bank writes the check or debits the customer's account for the payment. Because the customer's bank may not be the bank of the company, however, the bills still need to be mailed to the lock box for processing.
Another method recently instituted by some banks and companies is payment via the internet. Such systems vary, but there are two main methods. In one method, a customer enters the company's website and selects a payment option. The customer may then enter important data such as name, address, e-mail address, and the account number they wish to have credited. Also, the customer must provide authorization for the transaction to occur and supply information regarding from where the payment should be debited, i.e., bank name and routing number and account name and number. After the program is established, the user may pay bills on-line. This method takes time (up to three or four days), however, because the company must first send a request to the customer's bank and then wait for the bank to send the funds and for the receiving bank to process the transfer of funds.
The other method of paying on-line is utilized by the customer accessing his or her bank account and sending the information that way. In this system, the bank of the customer processes the transaction on-line and electronically transfers the funds to the company. This process is usually faster because the customer's bank is immediately sending the funds instead of waiting for a request from the company. This method also, however, has drawbacks. First, not all people have access to the internet. Although many people have computers, large segments of the population do not or do not know how to use the internet. Second, due to security issues, not all people who have access to the internet feel comfortable accessing accounts on-line. Some people do not want to provide account numbers on the internet for fear of hackers obtaining such information.
Also, the customer must still wait until they receive the invoice and must enter in the information every month.
Another drawback of current payment systems is that customers may only use them to pay companies that are on the internet and are established to receive payments in such a manner. For many smaller companies and individuals, the above-mentioned devices cannot be used.
In view of these problems, there is a need for a system which provides a customer with a method of faster payment of bills while ensuring the confidentiality of account numbers and the like. There is also a need for a method of payment where the customer does not need to enter payment information every month.